Another C8 Corvette by Revell

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

1 hour ago, mrm said:

This particular Primer-Sealer is not intended to be sanded. I did however sand mine because I had some imperfections in it and I forgot a mold line that needed t o be corrected. When sanded it creates this oily almost sticky feel.

I bet you were using the DupliColor DAP-1700 (look for the numbers right above the bar code). You are correct, it doesn't sand well. Pick up the DAP-1699 (slighty lighter color). That sands very well. 

This kit might even interest a primarily hot rod/drag builder ? -RRR

[mrm]

On 8/25/2024 at 10:19 PM, John B. said:

My kit arrived in the mail Friday - I'm going to spend a few days going over the parts and instructions.  This is a photo of my neighbor's C8.

I wish Revell’s kit came with that wing on your neighbor’s car. That orange tho is a bit much for me. 

[mrm]

On 8/26/2024 at 7:13 AM, Len Woodruff said:

I just painted my body yesterday. I used Torch Red over a white base. I got to get some clear order to pt on it.

It doesn’t get any more traditional Corvette than Torch Red. I hope you post the WIP for it. 

[mrm]

6 hours ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

I bet you were using the DupliColor DAP-1700 (look for the numbers right above the bar code). You are correct, it doesn't sand well. Pick up the DAP-1699 (slighty lighter color). That sands very well. 

This kit might even interest a primarily hot rod/drag builder ? -RRR

I have the sandable primer too and I knew that this one was supposed to be final sealer. I had never used it before, but because of few different discussions on paint I decided to try it out. I would normally use 2k primer under hot car paint. Especially if there is any putty or joints that can ghost later on. But this is such a clean body that I figured I didn’t need the extra complication of 2k primer. It worked great in the end. I clear coated the body today too. It’s just curing right now. More pictures coming tomorrow. 
  You should definitely get one of this kits. It would be a nice change of pace. 

[Len Woodruff]

6 hours ago, mrm said:

I have the sandable primer too and I knew that this one was supposed to be final sealer. I had never used it before, but because of few different discussions on paint I decided to try it out. I would normally use 2k primer under hot car paint. Especially if there is any putty or joints that can ghost later on. But this is such a clean body that I figured I didn’t need the extra complication of 2k primer. It worked great in the end. I clear coated the body today too. It’s just curing right now. More pictures coming tomorrow. 
  You should definitely get one of this kits. It would be a nice change of pace. 

I did the same with mine. The 1699 Sealer then a white base then torch red. He is a pic after the 2K clear from splash paints.

 

[mrm]

On 9/6/2024 at 7:21 AM, Len Woodruff said:

I did the same with mine. The 1699 Sealer then a white base then torch red. He is a pic after the 2K clear from splash paints.

 

Looking really good. As I said before, you can't go wrong with red on a Vette. 

[mrm]

I've had a very hectic couple of weeks. This body has been sitting like this for almost a week now. 

I took a different approach and glued the the black side whatever-they're-called-thingies and the center section of the nose, before the clear coat. 

 

The pictures don't really show it, because of the nature of the color, but the finish is super shiny. I always loved working with 2K clear. No because of the shine, but because of the convenience of it. It will go over anything without attacking it and it will be bone dry by end of the day. Or should I say cured? You can literally spray it in the morning and buff it at the end of day. 

 

On the pictures it has not been sanded or buffed yet. That is coming up next and it is my least favorite part of any build. 

I decided to install the tail lights before the clear also. The main reasoning behind this was painting them, which is one of the two biggest challenges of this kit. The other being the headlights, thanks to Revell's "brain fart of the year" decision to not include the daylight running lights decals in the US version of the kit. 

The logic behind clear coating the taillights already installed in the body was that I already had the red lenses painted with Tamiya clear red, which is an acrylic and I had flown some black panel liner, so I can actually see the shapes I am suppose to paint. Now I can have a protective layer of clear over the red lenses and I can paint the black trim around them. And if I mess up, I can clean it up, without stripping the red underneath. 

 

Next I need to spray the black in the engine bay, in the rear bumper and the window trim and to buff the body. then we're off to final assembly.

Stay tuned and thanks for looking!

[TransAmMike]

On 9/6/2024 at 7:21 AM, Len Woodruff said:

I did the same with mine. The 1699 Sealer then a white base then torch red. He is a pic after the 2K clear from splash paints.

 

That's just beeee-u-tiful ?

[mrm]

So after I gave the body few days to relax I masked it very good and sprayed Tamiya Matt black over the areas I needed, like the window sills, engine bay and the lower rear bumper. And as if it was done by design, since I am using this build to discuss paints and materials, problems occurred. I am not saying that I like having issues when painting model bodies, but it is in a way a good way of making a point about paints and experience. When I painted the model I used PPG original Ferrari Paint. That paints has no problem handling Tamiya clear coat or any other Tamiya paint. I cleared it with automotive 2K clear. Because I wanted some color in the engine bay, I sprayed the two panels in the bay body color. When I cleared everything, I cleared those panels too. But I did not seal the entire surface with the clear. So there were areas where there was no paint - just primer and then barely some clear overspray. Anywhere where there was a solid clear coating, the Matt Black Tamiya paint (straight from the can) laid perfectly smooth. Except in parts of the engine bay, where there was just some clear overspray. In that area, the black crept under the clear overspray and spread and bubbled/lifted/crackled the surface. This is pure user error and it has nothing to do with plastic, materials used or whatever. And I know better, but still made the mistake. 

 

What is the real disaster is what happened on the front fender when I removed the mask. I used automotive vinyl mask and while removing it somehow managed to lift the clear coat, which peeled together with the paint right off the primer. Again, I am not happy that it happened, but I am glad I can show it and talk about the reason for it. Basically the primer is to blame. Or more precisely, the primer in combination of the way the separate coats were applied. I had the same exact issue on my 1:1 C5 Corvette, which was painted and prepped entirely with HOK materials meant to work together. Basically there is no bond between the primer and the base color coat, while there is perfect bond between the color and clear. The reason for it is because this bond can be either chemical or mechanical. For a chemical bond you need to spray the color while the primer is not fully cured. Then the color "melts" the surface of the primer and blends with it. By following the same way with more paint coats within short time each coat fuses itself to the one below. This was clearly not the case with my model, because I let it dry for a whole day. In such case you can create mechanical grip by sanding the surface of the primer prior to painting the color on. But I decided to experiment and use this primer sealer, which does not like being sanded, so I didn't. And here are the results. 

 

Now I have to sand and blend the edges of the peel and very carefully feather new color layer, praying that it doesn't get under the clear and make a mess, after which lay another coat of clear and then wet sand and buff everything. I'm giving this one try and if it goes haywire, I'm just ordering another kit and using another body. Why you may ask. Because the value of the time, effort and materials for stripping this body and getting it ready for paint again far exceed the $30 for a new kit. 

[mrm]

I tried to repair my paint mishap today.

I've always been advocating against frivolous labor. I think that when possible, things should be kept as simple as can be. So I sanded first with 600 followed by a 1000 grit. Dry. no pressure in circles, in order to blend the edges where the paint peeled. 

This opened up raw plastic, but even if it didn't, primer was still going to be necessary to seal the open ends of the clear coat. my favorite method of decanting spray cans is simply spraying into little waxed paper cups, which I buy in bags of 300. Tamiya fine grey primer was sprayed in a cup and then directly in my airbrush. Low pressure and very carefully feathering the primer on.

 

Next the same technique was used to lay up some color coat. The primer was not sanded and the drying time was whatever took me to clean my airbrush from the primer. 

 

I have to say that after the primer the surface looked absolutely perfect and as smooth as it gets. However the pictures show a slight ghosting of the edge of the previous clear coat, after the color was applied. It is funny how my camera is picking it up, because when looking at it with naked eye, I can't see it. Anyway, after the color coat it was time for clear. I gave the color about 30 min or maybe even less before I applied the clear. I wanted to make sure the paint gasses out. every time I took a step the covered area grew. By the time the clear went on I was spraying half way through the door, all the way to the center line of the hood and all the way to the front bumper. Pretty much like blending a real car. 

 

Now the clear is curing and by the end of the weekend I should be buffing it. 

Just in case this doesn't go to plan, I ordered a second kit. If this body end up looking good I am using it. But if after color correction it doesn't make me happy, I am just painting the new one. 

[mrm]

I am glad to announce that my repair turned out just great.

Also I want to share a rather unpopular opinion, that you don't have to wet-sand your model for days with every grid known to mankind.

This is what the body looked like after just one round of 1500 grid wet sand paper followed by very light passes of dry 3000 grid sponge from 3M. And to be honest, I don't even think I used the 3M everywhere. I honestly see absolutely no reason to start any lower or going any higher. Or using anything in between for that matter. The way I see it I would be just risking to rub through the clear for no reason. 

 

Next I buffed the body with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. All the products used are available in most auto-part stores and in most Walmarts. The Ultimate Compound is just some kind of black magic. Years ago I used their Scratch-X, but the UC is even better. It will bring a 1500 grit sanded clear coat to a shine with minimal to moderate effort. I use regular microfiber towel. Here is an important thing to remember when wet-sanding clear and buffing it out. Especially 2K clear. Always sand in straight strokes and then cross them in different directions. But never in circular motion. Then when you buff it, go only in circular motion. This would give you a lot better results with a lot less effort. 

Pretty shiny, I would say. And no trace of the peeled paint. 

[TransAmMike]

The finish looks outstanding.  Keep up the great work Michael!!

[mrm]

18 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

The finish looks outstanding.  Keep up the great work Michael!!

Thank you Mike. Now I have to deal with the lights, which are proving to be a handful, thanks to the omission of the decals for the US kit.